By Dr. B. Shakira Jabeen

We are celebrating 69th Rajyotsava Day on the first of November. At this juncture, it is necessary to fathom how we came to view language the way we do. How do we celebrate Kannada and Karnataka?

The linguistic States of South India were carved out of a large geographical area — Madras Presidency/Province, which encompassed many languages.  Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam speaking areas formed linguistic States.

Language scene of Karnataka is unique. Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Ballari, some parts of Bombay Presidency, merged with the Princely State of Mysore to form the Unified Kannada linguistic State.

Each of these areas is a multilingual space which brought in Kodava, Byari, Arebhashe, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Konkani, Marathi and many more languages to the already existing multiple languages of Princely Mysore State. What began as Mysore State, was renamed as Karnataka in 1973.

‘Hesarayitu Karnataka, Usiragali Kannada’ was a dream that propelled the unified Karnataka to formulate policies to use Kannada language in all domains of life. Implementation of policies has been an ongoing process. It is heartening to see Kannada being used in the lower courts, signboards, offices, formal functions, television, marketplace and most other domains of life in Karnataka. Even non-Kannada speakers make an effort to speak Kannada.

Balancing opposite views

How language communities negotiate languages reflects much about the broader dynamics of their society. The multilingual people of Mysuru and Karnataka have developed a distinctive approach to managing multiple languages — a philosophy termed ‘Multilinguality.’ This mindset fosters an extraordinary ability to balance opposing views without conflict.

Multilinguality is a powerful tool that enables individuals and societies to understand and embrace diversity. Here, the notion of absolute right or wrong is set aside in favour of pragmatic language choices.

This approach means people might speak one language at home, another outside, a third for personal interactions, a fourth for entertainment, a fifth for religious practices, and yet another for education, with the flexibility to incorporate even more. Multilinguality enhances cognitive abilities and supports lateral thinking.

Classical language

While monolingual societies in the West are encouraging children to learn multiple languages, Karnataka’s successive Governments have implemented language policies to ensure Kannada’s prominence in the State. Kannada, one of India’s scheduled languages, is also recognised as a classical language. Yet, even among the informed public, there remains a perception that their language may be under threat.

Who is truly threatening a State’s official language? The blame game often clouds the issue, creating a fear psychosis that drives activists to push for stricter language policies without fully considering the broader impacts.

Karnataka, once a State of remarkable linguistic diversity in 1971, saw its diversity index drop to a ‘moderate’ level by 2001, indicating a shift among many communities towards dominant languages. Research on diversity indices suggests that robust linguistic diversity supports economic growth and that cultural diversity is intricately tied to linguistic diversity.

Technology and language

In sixty-eight years, Kannada has come a long way. It has a strong presence on social media and in the digital world. Kannada is prepared for machine translation. Kannada literature and knowledge resources are being translated into various Indian and foreign languages. Technology has further simplified language acquisition and preservation.

Both Kannada and Karnataka have reached a mature stage. As speakers of a developed, Scheduled and classical language, it is our duty to support smaller languages and their speakers, encouraging them to celebrate their unique linguistic heritage. Such an approach is not only generous but also vital to preserving that invaluable mindset — Multilinguality.

All languages within unified Karnataka are rich repositories of oral literature and unique perspectives, contributing to Kannada’s growth and creating a broader Kannada identity — one that transcends the confines of any single language.

My research on language policy and public response has revealed some intriguing insights. People in Karnataka exhibit a fluid approach to language: they readily embrace Kannada in most domains but show hesitation when it comes to education.

This trend doesn’t reflect on Kannada itself but rather on the evolving role of education in a globalised world, where employment, language and education are closely intertwined.

Linguistic diversity

Another key observation is a growing ambivalence toward language. People often express different sentiments on record than they hold in practice, with the urban-rural divide also influencing language choices and the prestige associated with specific languages shaping preferences.

A single-language focus is a remnant of the colonial era. A true post-colonial, ‘Desi’ or Kannada approach would encourage reading and writing in Kannada, the mother-tongue, the national administrative language, the associate administrative language, and even a tribal language. This multilingual embrace aligns with Karnataka’s heritage of linguistic diversity.

[The author was Associate Professor of English, who now writes on language issues].